(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Today we encountered a large penguin colony with many baby chicks in the South Georgia islands. When first born, the baby king penguin has a very warm brown coat. After roughly 12 months, the youngling will go through its first moult. The baby penguin loses its brown coat, which gives way to the signature look of the adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) (SLIDESHOW) We encountered a large king penguin colony with many baby chicks at Gold Harbour in the South Georgia islands. When first born, the baby king penguin has a very warm brown coat. After roughly 12 months, the youngling will go through its first moult. The baby penguin loses its brown coat, which gives way to the signature look of an adult penguin. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) (SLIDESHOW) We encountered a large king penguin colony with many baby chicks at Gold Harbour in the South Georgia islands. When first born, the baby king penguin has a very warm brown coat. After roughly 12 months, the youngling will go through its first moult. The baby penguin loses its brown coat, which gives way to the signature look of an adult penguin. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) (SLIDESHOW) We encountered a large king penguin colony with many baby chicks at Gold Harbour in the South Georgia islands. When first born, the baby king penguin has a very warm brown coat. After roughly 12 months, the youngling will go through its first moult. The baby penguin loses its brown coat, which gives way to the signature look of an adult penguin. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) (SLIDESHOW) We encountered a large king penguin colony with many baby chicks at Gold Harbour in the South Georgia islands. When first born, the baby king penguin has a very warm brown coat. After roughly 12 months, the youngling will go through its first moult. The baby penguin loses its brown coat, which gives way to the signature look of an adult penguin. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Slideshow of thousands of king penguins at one of the largest penguin colonies in the world at Salisbury Plain in the South Georgia Islands. It was a memorizing experience to see the combination of baby “chick” penguins and adult penguins. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) One adult king penguin surrounded by hundreds of baby chick penguins aka “oakum boys” at Salisbury Plain on South Georgia island. The chicks of the king penguin are covered in a brown down and sometimes referred to as “oakum boys” because of the resemblance to the youths who packed the seams of wooden boats with oakum, a tarred fibre, to make them watertight, wisps of the oakum stuck to them, so they were brown and fluffy and early seamen thought the king penguin chicks looked the same. TAG a friend. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Baby fur seal known as a “pup” and his dad strolling the beach at Stromness Harbour. Fur seals are closely related to sea lions and share with them external ears, relatively long and muscular foreflippers, and the ability to walk on all fours. They are marked by their dense underfur, which made them a long time object of commercial hunting. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) We encountered many types of penguins on this expedition to the South Georgia islands and one of my favorites and most photogenic is the macaroni penguin. We hiked up a steep hill through thick tussock grass at Cooper Bay to reach a large macaroni penguin colony to capture this shot. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Say hello to the South Georgia islands welcoming committee. The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is a large species of penguin, second only to the emperor penguin in size. King penguins eat small fish, mainly lanternfish, and squid. On foraging trips king penguins repeatedly dive to over 100 meters (300 feet), and have been recorded at depths greater than 300 meters (1,000 feet). King penguins breed on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica and the South Georgia islands. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) On our last day of the expedition we visited Salisbury Plain on the South Georgia islands and within minutes of arriving a crippling snow storm unleashed blinding snow with harsh sub-zero temperatures. We were able to get a rare view at how these penguins survive in such extreme blizzard-like conditions. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) This current expedition to the South Georgia islands has been absolutely incredible and only possible because of the National Geographic Explorer expedition ship. Inaugurated in 2008, the Explorer is the world’s ultimate expedition ship uniquely equipped with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment perfect for polar expeditions. Explorer accommodates 148 guests in 81 cabins, including 13 cabins with private balconies, six spacious suites and 14 cabins specifically designed for solo travelers. At 367 feet in length with six decks, she is spacious and modern, with a variety of public rooms that offer startling views of the passing landscape. If you want to learn more about all the expeditions and locations @LindbladExp offers please visit the website www.Expeditions.com
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Cute baby elephant seal, also called a “weaner”, giving me a nice portrait shot in the South Georgia Islands. After suckling her pup for about twenty-eight days, the mother elephant seal shuts off the supply of rich milk. The mother weans her pup abruptly so that she can return to the sea and replenish her depleted nutritional supplies after having fasted since coming ashore to give birth. She will leave her pup, now re-named “weaner” to fend for itself on the beach. TAG a friend you want to visit the South Georgia islands with. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp) Multiple rows of king penguins lined up along the river at St. Andrews bay in the South Georgia islands. Photo by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp)(SLIDESHOW) Today at Gold Harbour Beach in the South Georgia islands we witnessed two large male elephant seals get into a bloody and gruesome fight over territory on the beach to distinguish who is the true alpha male. Watch this slideshow to see the progression of the fight. It was intense !!! Photos by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp)(SLIDESHOW) Today at Gold Harbour Beach in the South Georgia islands we witnessed two large male elephant seals get into a bloody and gruesome fight over territory on the beach to distinguish who is the true alpha male. Watch this slideshow to see the progression of the fight. It was intense !!! Photos by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp)(SLIDESHOW) Today at Gold Harbour Beach in the South Georgia islands we witnessed two large male elephant seals get into a bloody and gruesome fight over territory on the beach to distinguish who is the true alpha male. Watch this slideshow to see the progression of the fight. It was intense !!! Photos by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp)(SLIDESHOW) Today at Gold Harbour Beach in the South Georgia islands we witnessed two large male elephant seals get into a bloody and gruesome fight over territory on the beach to distinguish who is the true alpha male. Watch this slideshow to see the progression of the fight. It was intense !!! Photos by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
(On assignment with @LindbladExp)(SLIDESHOW) Today at Gold Harbour Beach in the South Georgia islands we witnessed two large male elephant seals get into a bloody and gruesome fight over territory on the beach to distinguish who is the true alpha male. Watch this slideshow to see the progression of the fight. It was intense !!! Photos by Mike Theiss @ExtremeNature
